Applying for jobs can be a long and exhausting process. The longer a process takes, the harder it can be to keep up the momentum. Over a quarter (26%) of job seekers who are looking for a job, have been looking for between 3 to 6 months.  I’ve spoken to some candidates who have emailed off their resume to prospective employers and haven’t bothered to attach a cover letter…and they haven’t heard back. Cover letters are an integral part of the job application process and play a key part of the screening process for recruiters (which involves recruiters sussing out whether you are the right fit for a role). Leaving off a cover letter is almost as bad as writing a poor quality one. So, what is the perfect cover letter to help nab the job you want?

Salutations are important

Address the cover letter to the right person.  In the age of Google and LinkedIn, most applicants can find out who they should be addressing the letter to, as opposed to ‘Dear Sir/Madam’. Spending time finding out who to address the letter to, is the best place to start.

Communicate that you are the right person for the job

Clearly explain that you meet the job requirements.  Some people make the mistake of listing every qualification or skill and demonstrating that they can meet the requirements of the role. A better way is to find 3 of the key requirements and clearly explain your experience. Following a cover letter template that succinctly showcases your experience can be useful.

Why this job?

It’s important to give specific reasons why you want *this* job.  Recruiters don’t know if your application is one of tens or hundreds that you are applying for and whether you have certain reasons why this role appeals to you (or is it just another job?).

Think outside the box

A great way to demonstrate your understanding of the role and how it will solve problems or improve business performance is to do some research into the company. By understanding some of the opportunities or challenges of the business, you can demonstrate how your skills and experience can contribute towards business success (even before you get an interview). Putting together a document that outlines the challenges of the company and your recommendations on how to resolve them can be a part of your application.

If you would like some more support in developing strong cover letters, speak to the recruitment team at Flexi Personnel.